1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ceiling-mounted fixtures and, more particularly, to a device that can be mounted to a ceiling for suspending an article, e.g. a plant, from the ceiling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to secure hooks to a room's ceiling in order to suspend from the hook various articles, such as planters.
When it is desired to access the planter, for instance for watering purposes, one must generally stretch upwardly in order To reach the planter or must even step on a chair as planters are generally suspended in a substantially elevated position in order not to impede circulation of people in their vicinity.
The difficulties encountered while trying to reach an article suspended from a ceiling hook may even be dangerous, for instance when substantially aged people use chairs or other elevation means to access the planter.
Some devices have been developed to raise and lower a suspended plant, such as the Adjustable plant handing device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,971, which issued on Nov. 19, 1991 to Gaube. The height adjustable device of this Patent comprises a locking mechanism mounted above the planter, a handle and a cable attached at a first end thereof to the planter and at second end thereof to a reel biasedly mounted in the handle. The cable passes through the locking member and is partly wound around the handle's reel. The locking mechanism includes a pair of fixed wheels which guide the cable therethrough, and a toothed locking arm pivotally mounted therein. The, locking aim is biased towards a first one of the wheels, whereby the cable can be secured between the locking arm and the first wheel. Tension provided in the cable by the handle draws the locking arm away from the cable so as to release the latter and allow movement thereof through the locking mechanism, whereby the planter can be selectively raised and lowered. The toothed locking arm returns to a cable locking position against the first wheel by providing a sudden slack in the cable via the handle. A disengageable brake acting on the reel allows the handle to be positioned at various elevations.